Compositions for masking and removing unpleasant odors are well known to those skilled in the art. Thus, by way of illustration, such compositions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,755,377 of Steer (which discloses an aqueous based gel air-treating composition comprised of a gel base and a gaseous component), U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,253 of Schleppnik et al. (which discloses that compositions comprised of 4-cyclohexyl-4-methyl-2-pentanone counteract malodors), U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,221 of Schleppnik (which discloses that a specified cyclohexyl compound is a malodor counteractant), and the like. The disclosure of each of the aforementioned patents is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification.
As is well known, garbage disposal units are fertile sources of malodors. Means of combating such malodors in garbage disposal units have been suggested. Thus, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,813, Douglas C. Brackett teaches a device which, in response to the activation of the garbage disposal unit, is propelled against a wall of an interior chamber of the unit. The device of this patent is not very effective and, despite the fact that it has been commercially available for several years, has met with a marked degree of commercial failure.
It is an object of this invention to provide a garbage disposal cleaning device which can readily, effectively, and inexpensively both clean, disinfect, and deodorize garbage disposals.
It is another object of this invention to provide a garbage disposal cleaning device which contains means for being actuated only when it is in a specified position within an opening of the garbage disposal and a specified amount of force is applied.